1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bicycle handlebar bar ends for attachment to a handlebar on a bicycle.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
On a traditional two-wheel bicycle, the front wheel is of course controlled through the use of a handlebar attached to the front steering fork. On bicycles designed primarily for road riding and in particular for racing, the handlebar is commonly comprised of a generally horizontal tubular member which provides a first pair of gripping surfaces for the rider's hands, and attached to the extreme ends of the handlebar are bar ends which provide a second pair of gripping surfaces. The first pair of gripping surfaces are used in situations where the rider desires to ride in a relatively upright posture. The second pair of gripping surfaces are normally positioned forward of the first set, the second set of gripping surfaces being used when the rider desires to ride in a relatively crouched position. The upright position enables the rider to exert maximum power to the pedals for starting a race while the crouched position reduces drag due to air resistance when riding at higher speeds.
The bar ends are commonly tubular members having a clamping means for attaching the bar end to the ends of the tubular handlebar. In prior art bar ends the clamping means for attaching the bar ends to the handlebar has typically consisted of a common C-clamp formed by a wall portion which extends from one side of the tubular portion of the bar end around the handlebar. The handlebar is inserted through a substantially cylindrical opening formed by the wrap-around wall portion of the bar end. The end of the wrap-around wall portion is spaced apart slightly from the opposite side of the tubular portion of the bar end. The end of the wrap-around wall portion is normally fastened to the tubular portion of the bar end with a common threaded fastener. Tightening the fastener causes a compression of the space between the end of the wrap-around wall portion and the tubular portion of the bar end which in turn causes a reduction in the diameter of the cylindrical opening to thereby attach and tighten the bar end onto the end of the handlebar.
In such prior art bar ends it is the end of the wrap-around wall portion of the C-clamp which defects the most. Consequently, the clamping force is concentrated mostly on a small area at the end of the wrap-around wall portion. This concentrated force causes some handlebars to become deformed, which is of course aesthetically undesirable particularly on a new bicycle, and in some cases where the handlebar is made of a lightweight composite material the handlebar has been known to fail because of cracking of the composite material.
An improved handlebar bar end is therefore desired.